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Rangers boss Ally McCoist: We will be ready for Old Firm clash
The Gers have seen their 15 point lead at the top of the SPL cut to just one ahead of Wednesday's visit to Celtic, with Neil Lennon seeking revenge for September's defeat
Dec 26, 2011 10:42:00 AM
By Arthur Virgo
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Rangers manager Ally McCoist has insisted that his side will be confident going to Celtic in Wednesday’s Old Firm game despite their recent dip in form.
The Gers were beaten 2-1 away at St Mirren on Christmas Eve after having two players sent off, and are now only one point ahead of Celtic who won 2-1 at home to Kilmarnock on the same day.
Rangers have now conceded a lead over their Glasgow rivals that once stood at 15 points, albeit with two more matches played, yet McCoist is confident his side will be ready for the Parkhead clash despite the momentum being with Neil Lennon's men.
"We will be ready for the game, I can guarantee you that," McCoist told The Guardian.
"It's going to be a tough game but we will be ready and the players won't need lifted for that one because it's a big, big game. I take where you are coming from, Celtic are on a good run of form at the moment in terms of victories. But it counts for absolutely nothing.
"The truth of the matter is I would rather be a point ahead than a point behind. Of that there is no doubt."
Rangers will be without center-back Dorin Goian after his dismissal on Saturday, yet McCoist could select Lee McCulloch despite his sending off in the same fixture, as the 49-year-old is set to appeal against the striker's red card, with the hearing unlikely to take place before Thursday.
As for the Romanian international Goian, McCoist added: “We've got one or two other things we can do. We've got Kyle Bartley and Kirk Broadfoot and Davie Weir and boys like that. As disappointing as it is, and we would rather not have that situation, it's not something that we can't handle."
Bhoys manager Lennon meanwhile will be looking for his side to redeem themselves following its 4-2 defeat at Ibrox in September.
"We didn't do ourselves justice at Ibrox so I am looking to my team to be highly motivated and certainly play better and compete better than they did in the second 45 minutes of the first Old Firm game," said Lennon. "If they do that they will give themselves a great chance of winning the game."
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The Gers were beaten 2-1 away at St Mirren on Christmas Eve after having two players sent off, and are now only one point ahead of Celtic who won 2-1 at home to Kilmarnock on the same day.
Rangers have now conceded a lead over their Glasgow rivals that once stood at 15 points, albeit with two more matches played, yet McCoist is confident his side will be ready for the Parkhead clash despite the momentum being with Neil Lennon's men.
"We will be ready for the game, I can guarantee you that," McCoist told The Guardian.
"It's going to be a tough game but we will be ready and the players won't need lifted for that one because it's a big, big game. I take where you are coming from, Celtic are on a good run of form at the moment in terms of victories. But it counts for absolutely nothing.
"The truth of the matter is I would rather be a point ahead than a point behind. Of that there is no doubt."
Rangers will be without center-back Dorin Goian after his dismissal on Saturday, yet McCoist could select Lee McCulloch despite his sending off in the same fixture, as the 49-year-old is set to appeal against the striker's red card, with the hearing unlikely to take place before Thursday.
As for the Romanian international Goian, McCoist added: “We've got one or two other things we can do. We've got Kyle Bartley and Kirk Broadfoot and Davie Weir and boys like that. As disappointing as it is, and we would rather not have that situation, it's not something that we can't handle."
Bhoys manager Lennon meanwhile will be looking for his side to redeem themselves following its 4-2 defeat at Ibrox in September.
"We didn't do ourselves justice at Ibrox so I am looking to my team to be highly motivated and certainly play better and compete better than they did in the second 45 minutes of the first Old Firm game," said Lennon. "If they do that they will give themselves a great chance of winning the game."
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